


Seasons

by pizZiCcato



Series: MuraHimu Week 2015 [2]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Day 2 entry, Developing Relationship, M/M, MuraHimu Week 2015, Pre-Slash, Seasons, Tears, Umaibou, hopefully this is better than my previous entry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-27
Updated: 2015-10-27
Packaged: 2018-04-28 11:48:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5089598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pizZiCcato/pseuds/pizZiCcato
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Atsushi and Tatsuya's relationship progresses through the seasons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seasons

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2: Umaibo (10/27)
> 
> Tears  
>  Seasons

It had been summer when they first met.

The Interhigh had ended about a week prior. Coach Araki seemed intent on making up for their loss by training their asses off. That seemed to scare the newcomers and the less dedicated members of the basketball club, because they stopped coming to practice after three days of hellish training. Not like it mattered, because they don’t even get to play on any games. At least Atsushi wasn’t the cause this time.

Nobody seemed to anticipate having a new member to the club, but that’s exactly what happened.

Himuro Tatsuya had entered the gym that day with a calmly confident smile and said that he wanted to join the team. Seeing the upperclassmen’s exhausted states didn’t seem to deter him. If anything, his smile seemed to widen by a fraction.

Coach Araki looked Tatsuya over once. “We’ll see what you can do.”

That day, Atsushi saw Tatsuya play basketball for the first time, and there’s no way he can ever forget that.

 

It had been autumn when they first played together.

After many practice sessions, Coach Araki had decided that Tatsuya is good enough to play in games. Tatsuya’s smile when he was given his uniform was blinding. When the coach announced that a practice match was scheduled for that week, Atsushi almost thought that Tatsuya would start whooping, but Tatsuya kept his cool and said he’d do his best.

On that practice match, Atsushi stayed under the ring, as usual. He took all the rebounds and passed them to his nearest teammate. More often than not, it was Tatsuya, because he seemed to know that Atsushi would get all the rebounds. Tatsuya always scored points for the team, so Atsushi figured he can pass the ball to Tatsuya without having to worry. That’s what he did.

A few practice matches after, people started calling them the Double Aces because they work together so well. Before that, neither of them seemed to acknowledge each other outside basketball, but about a month later, Tatsuya approached Atsushi after practice with a smile and an umaibou.

“I see you eating these all the time, figured you like them,” he explained to Atsushi’s questioning look.

It was silent for a moment. Right before it started getting awkward, Atsushi said, “Thanks.”

Tatsuya grinned. Atsushi saw the upperclassmen giving Tatsuya disbelieving looks, because nobody ever bothered getting friendly with Atsushi before.

That autumn also saw the beginning of their soon-to-be relationship.

 

It had been winter when they first saw each other’s tears.

They had known each other for only a few months, so it didn’t make sense how uneasy seeing Tatsuya’s tears made Atsushi. It also didn’t make sense how their loss against Seirin had brought tears to Atsushi’s eyes, because he’s not the type to cry, damn it. Yet there he was, bawling his eyes out and saying he’s going to quit basketball, which was really childish of him.

Later that evening, when they were the only ones to keep each other company, Tatsuya rested his head on Atsushi’s shoulder. In a quiet voice, he said, “We’ll win next time, Atsushi, so don’t quit basketball yet.”

Atsushi tilted his head to rest it on Tatsuya’s. “You’ll probably cry again when that happens.”

Tatsuya’s shoulders shook with silent laughter. “Maybe, but I’d be crying tears of joy.”

Atsushi hummed softly and closed his eyes. That’d actually be pretty nice, he thought.

 

It had been spring when they first realized that their feelings might go deeper than just friendship.

They had both noticed, of course. Neither of them chose to act on it at first, but it was still there. From the way a brief contact would send sparks down their spines, to how their touches lingered just a little longer than they should. Fortunately for them, nobody else seemed to notice.

_This is stupid_ , Atsushi remembered thinking. But Tatsuya didn’t seem quite as bothered by this – whatever this is – as Atsushi was. He wondered briefly if staying away from Tatsuya would make it better, but then who’s going to hang out with Atsushi when he’s bored?

A few weeks before spring break, Tatsuya approached Atsushi after practice, which had become such a norm nobody even batted an eyelash to that, even the newcomers. They both went to the sidelines and sat there watching the others file into the locker room. “What are you going to do on spring break, Atsushi?”

Atsushi rested his head against the wall behind him. “I don’t know. Probably gonna sleep the days away.”

Tatsuya looked at him disbelievingly. “You’re impossible. Why don’t you go out? We can do something together if you want.”

Atsushi glanced at Tatsuya out of the corner of his eye. Tatsuya smiled, expectant. “Maybe. We’ll see.”

Tatsuya hummed. They sat a little longer, waiting for the locker room to clear, before going in to pack up their stuff.

Spring break found them going to various places, some in Akita, some outside, and most of them having to do with sweets. It’s really nothing different from what they do usually, except they’re not in school or going to basketball games.

“Muro-chin, does this count as a date?” Atsushi decided to ask on one such… trip.

Tatsuya looked up at him with an unreadable expression on his face. Atsushi didn’t dare meet his eyes, because he just asked a very embarrassing thing. Then there was a small laugh from Tatsuya. “Do you want this to be a date?”

Atsushi blushed. “I don’t know. Forget I ever asked.”

Tatsuya’s following laugh was more open. “You can think of this as anything you want, Atsushi, because I don’t mind either way.”

 

It had been the following summer when they first talked about their relationship.

“Muro-chin, what are we?” Atsushi decided to ask. He had made sure that there was nobody in hearing range before asking.

Something flickered in Tatsuya’s visible eye, but it disappeared as soon as it appeared. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Are we really just friends?” Atsushi looked at the sky, unable to meet Tatsuya’s gaze.

A short moment of silence. “Do you want to be more than friends?”

Stupid. If Atsushi didn’t want to be more than friends, would he even ask in the first place? “Kind of.”

Another beat of silence. Atsushi was almost worried that Tatsuya had left, but then he felt Tatsuya’s fingers curling loosely around his own. “Then we’re more than just friends. More than best friends too.”

Atsushi grasped Tatsuya’s hand in his. That’s good enough for now, because Atsushi himself wasn’t quite sure where he wanted to go with this relationship.

 

It had been the following autumn when they first fought.

The reason for their fight had been _Kagami_ , of all things (or people). Atsushi had complained about the ring Tatsuya always wore around his neck. One thing led to another, an argument led to a yelling contest, and before long, a fight broke out, which had to be stopped by Coach Araki. She had kicked them out of the gym and told them to sort their issues out before they can even come near the gym (“I don’t need players who fight during practice!”), then she slammed the door shut in their faces.

Tatsuya side-eyed Atsushi sharply before stomping off. Atsushi was too angry to even consider going after him, and instead went to buy sweets.

It didn’t take long for Atsushi to get uneasy, though. He had spent so long with Tatsuya by his side that suddenly not having him around made Atsushi feel strange. He considered going to apologize, but Tatsuya always kept his distance. Since the coach had forbidden them from coming to practice, there’s no chance to find him there either.

Guess there’s no other choice. He has to find Tatsuya and stop him before he could run.

That was how Atsushi found himself waiting outside Tatsuya’s classroom before the bell rang. He had told his teacher that he needed to go to the toilet to get out early, hopefully it won’t be in vain. Everyone in the classroom filed out as soon as the bell rang, but Atsushi had no problem spotting Tatsuya among them, because as short as he might seem to Atsushi, Tatsuya is still quite tall.

“Muro-chin,” Atsushi called, raising his voice above the chatter of students.

Tatsuya froze. He turned around almost hesitantly. “Atsushi?”

Atsushi strode past everyone (more like they cleared the path for him) and took Tatsuya’s hand. “I need to talk to you.” He then continued walking past many doors and down many hallways, Tatsuya in tow, before stopping outside, near the tree where they usually eat their lunch.

He released Tatsuya’s hand and shuffled awkwardly for a moment. He could see Tatsuya doing the same, though it wasn’t as obvious. “Muro-chin,” he began after many tries, “I’m sorry.”

Tatsuya was silent. Atsushi glanced at him. Tatsuya was rubbing the back of his neck and looking off to the side. “You don’t really have to apologize. I was wrong too. We’re both in the wrong there.”

“So we’re okay now?” Atsushi allowed himself a small hopeful smile as he properly looked at Tatsuya.

Tatsuya returned Atsushi’s smile with one of his own. “Of course.”

 

It had been the following winter when they first won the Winter Cup.

Just like Atsushi had anticipated, Tatsuya cried, but he was also smiling and laughing. Atsushi felt like doing the same, but he only allowed himself to smile, which should be good enough, but Tatsuya wouldn’t have that.

“Atsushi, we won! I told you we’ll win next time!” Tatsuya yelled, speaking above his normal volume for the first time since Atsushi met him. Before Atsushi could process what was happening, Tatsuya was running toward him and Atsushi found himself in Tatsuya’s almost deadly hug. Tatsuya was still laughing that infectious laugh of his, and Atsushi found himself starting to laugh too.

“We won, Muro-chin.” Atsushi returned Tatsuya’s embrace, feeling his eyes starting to water. “We really won.”

 

It had been the following spring when they first thought about separation.

“Muro-chin, you’re graduating soon, right?”

Tatsuya idly traced his fingers on the back of Atsushi’s hand. “Yeah. You’ll be on your own for a while, Atsushi.”

Atsushi turned his hand over and caught Tatsuya’s hand. “But I don’t want to be on my own.”

Tatsuya exhaled a short laugh. “It’s only a year, Atsushi. Besides, it’s not like we can’t ever see each other during that time. I’ll make time to see you as much as I can.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Atsushi smiled. Tatsuya silently laughed and bumped his head against Atsushi’s shoulder.

Yeah, even if they can’t see each other that much after this, it’s fine, because they both know they have each other.

**Author's Note:**

> For something I finished in one day, this is actually quite decent.  
> Hopefully, this is better than that shit I posted yesterday.


End file.
